Updates on Casualties in Tibet Demonstration

December 23, 2008

TibetNet

Monday, 22 December 2008

Dharamshala: According to reliable information received from Tibet, a Tibetan youth aged around 20 was brutally beaten and arrested by officials of the Public Security Bureau for raising slogan of Tibet’s independence around 5 p.m. on 20 November.

In a separate incident, officials of Public Security Bureau arrested the abbot of Woeser monastery in Markham, Khenpo Jampa Gyaltsen, from his monastery on 28 November.

Meanwhile, sources continue to send information on Tibetans killed during brutal torture sessions by the Chinese security officials following its crackdown on peaceful demonstrations by Tibetans in the capital Lhasa in March this year.

Following are the details of four Tibetans killed:

1. Sonam Phuntsok, born in Mepa Chagso Tengpa, Markham County, (Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region), was severely beaten by armed personnel and officials of the public security bureau for taking part in peaceful protest in Lhasa on 14 March 2008.

His wife, who was blind, cried and begged the security officials not to beat her husband, but officials hit her on the head with baton rendering her unconscious, sources said. She succumbed to her injuries after her husband was taken into protective custody.

On 18 March, Sonam Phuntsok joined other Tibetan prisoners and shouted slogans of Tibet independence and for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, following which he along with fellow prisoners were severely beaten by prison guards. He died as a result of head injury sustained during torture by prison officials with electric baton. There were also reports about deaths of other prisoners under similar circumstances.

Begging was main source of livelihood of Sonam Phuntsok and his wife, who spent their last twenty years near the entrance to Ramoche Tsuglagkhang in Lhasa. After their deaths, there is no one to look after their two sons, aged 9 and 7.

2. Jampa Lhamo, aged 45, born in Khyungpo Tengcheng county (Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region) and a permanent resident of Ramoche in Lhasa, was severely tortured since her detention on 29 March 2008.

At the time of release, she was in a debilitating condition due to torture. There was no improvement in her health condition despite undergoing medical treatment and she finally died on 28 November at her home, sources said.

3. Tenzin Norbu, born in Meldro Gongkar county, Lhasa, was arrested for his role in peaceful demonstration in Lhasa and Phenpo and underwent severe torture during detention. Later, his body was handed over to his family by the relevant department of Lhundrup county. He is survived by his wife and three children aged between 1 and 7. The name of the prison and its location is still unknown.

Death caused by denial of medical treatment

4. Ngawang Tsering was born in Mepa town, Markham County (Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region). He was admitted to hospital in Lhasa on 13 March and the doctors said he was in need of blood.

But the Chinese government, following its brutal crackdown on peaceful Tibetan protesters since 14 March, had issued strict orders that the army needed blood and no one should donate blood to Tibetans.

Despite repeated appeal, no one came forward to give blood to Ngawang Tenzin due to which he died in the hospital. But it was not clear whether it was TAR People’s hospital or Lhasa Municipality People’s hospital.